Tips for Effective Practice
Wednesday 29th January 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
As a vocalist dedicated to your craft, you spend valuable time practicing to improve. You want to use your practice time wisely, and this session can help you accomplish your goals! I will describe the current state of research regarding practice strategies and provide practical applications for vocalists.
For example, your thought patterns impact your motivation to practice and the choices you make while practicing. I will describe examples of these thought patterns and self-regulatory strategies to change your mindset. We will discuss external influences on practice habits and strategies for ameliorating negative influences. I will describe differences in the practice habits of novice and expert musicians so that you can model your own practice sessions on what experts do.
One such difference between experts and novices is the use of practice strategies. We will discuss types of practice strategies and which strategies can be used to address specific musical problems. Throughout the workshop, I will draw connections to specific issues that vocalists face and how to address during practice sessions. For those who teach in either private or group settings, I will provide strategies for teaching one’s students to practice effectively. I will also set aside time for questions regarding specific issues.
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Nancy Summitt
Nancy Summitt taught K-12 music for 7 years prior to obtaining her Ph.D from the University of Memphis, and has held past professorships at the University of Tennessee at Martin and DePauw University.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Thursday 26th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 1st July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Contemporary Classical Singer: Incorporating New Music into Vocal Pedagogy!
Page Stephens
There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
The identity politics of accent learning!
Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!
Kim Chandler
What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!